Drill is a large, baboonlike monkey from western Africa. It lives in the forests of Cameroon and the nearby island of Bioko in Equatorial Guinea. The drill most closely resembles its nearest relative, the mandrill. Its crested head has a similar beard, mane, and doglike muzzle. But unlike the male mandrill’s colorful face, the male drill’s face is black surrounded by a ring of white hair. A female drill has a similar black face. The animal also possesses long arms, a stumpy tail, and a brightly colored rump of red, violet, green, and blue. Drills usually grow somewhat smaller than mandrills, with adult males weighing about 55 pounds (25 kilograms). Females weigh about half as much. 
Drills feed mainly on fruits, leaves, and nuts. They will also eat insects and other small animals. All drills spend much of their time on the forest floor. But females and young are more likely than males to climb into trees in search of fruit. The drill’s basic social group consists of about 10 to 20 individuals led by a dominant male. During the dry season when food is less plentiful, several groups come together in large communities of up to 200 members. Scientists believe these large groups may enable the drills to gather food more efficiently and safely.
Conservationists consider the drill seriously endangered, largely because of human destruction of its habitat. Aside from people, the leopard may be the drill’s most dangerous predator.
